Axminster loom



Nov. 30 1943. J. N. Dow

AXMI'NSTER LOOM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 away@ Filed April 4, 1942 .Tavllll .seo-l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. N` DOW AXMINSTER LOOM Filed April 4, v1942 Now 3o 1943.

J. N. Dow 2,335,492 AxMINsTER LooM 5 sheets-sheet s Filed April 4, y1942 E; We@

Nov. 30 1943.

J.` N. DOW

AXMINSTER' LOOM Filed April 4, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNov. 30 1943. J. N. Dow l 2,335,492-

AXMINSTER LOOM Filed April 4, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE AXMINSTER LOOM James' N. Dow, Longmeadow, Mass., assignorto'- Bigelow-Santoni- Carpet Co., Inc., Thompsonvill`e, Conn., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April4, 1942, Serial No. 437;(562

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the weaving of pile fabrics on looms of the sort in which the pileyarn is carried on tube frames. which are wiped in through the warp.- Its object is to eliminate, asa factor in determining. the pile tuft height, differences in the length of .yarns protruding from the tubes of one tube frame as compared with the length of yarns protruding from the tubes of other tube frames.

In looms of this character there is a succession of tube frames, each frame havingone or more spools carrying pile yarns which are threaded through and protrude below the yarn tubes. Forreasons which are Well known in the art and therefore require no explanation, although the protruding yarns in each row may be of substantially equal length, the yarns protruding from the tubes of one frame may be longer than the yarns protruding from the tubes of other frames. When the row of longer protruding yarns are turned up by the comb', a row oi tufts is produced which is of greater height than the tufts of other rows. This extra height of the tufts must be cut ofi and in the aggregate the cut-off portions amount to a serious Waste and loss.

The object of my invention is to eliminate this waste and loss. According to my invention the lifting of the wiped-in yarns is stopped as soon as their ends are liftedto a predetermined desire-d level below the upper surface of the breast beam. The depending ends of the yarns of all rows to be turned up are, accordingly, of exactly the same length so that' the turned-up tufts of al1 frames are of the same height and there are no tuft rows higher than' others which require cutting off. The turned-'up tufts of my invention need not be cut off at all or, if cut off, only a negligible amountneed be cutoi to bring all theY tufts to the same desired height;

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation viewof an Axminster loom embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail planview of parts near the breast beam;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view partly in section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 5A is a vertical section on the line 5A-5A of Fig. 5;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1 on enlarged scale;

Fig. '7 is a detail vertical section of a lost motion connection between the parts of the clutchy arm liftrodlii;

Figs. 8f,A 9,10,- loA, 11, 12and-l3are diagrarnmaticviews illustratingthe sequence' ofv cperations performed `by the preferred embodiment of` my invention, and

Fig. 14 isawiring diagram;

The loomH shown-inthe drawings includes4 a" breast beam 2''(Fig-.v 1) supporting the fabric 4 as it iswoven. The backing'warps areshownv at 5. Theweft is inserted by the usual needlel and is beatenV up by the lay l-carrying-reed 8. The pile yarnvis inserted ironica tube-frameV |01',` constituting one ofl aseries'whichmay be deliveredover the weaving point byv the conventional cha-in mechanism. SuccessiveA tube frames are removed fronr the chain y'and wipedin Aby means ofy the clutch arms |25 (one of which is shown) raised and @lowered 'around pivot shaft lib-y rod ipivoted at iifto one of'they armv and at the' other end 2b to a'lever` 22v rotatably mountedat 2d on the frame andcar'rying a cam follower 26 urged aganstlift cam-28by'the usual spring, notr shown. The` cam 28 is shaped differently from the usual-lift cam, aswill bedes'cribed, andwis mounted on the' loom shaft 30-f which rotatesY counter-clockwise, as indicated, once per loom cycle.

The wiped-in pilel yarn isiturned up by the usual comb 32.`

According to my invention, I employ a' detecting mechanism which` acts to stopthe upward movement of the tubeswhen thelower extremi-l ties of the tuftyarns havey reached-apredeter mined level below the yupper vsurface ofthebreast beam. The holding weft is then inserted and beatenv up; the draw-oli takesA placea'nd the depending tuft yarnsfare turned'up bythe comb.

In the preferred emloodirr-ientfofmyJ invention, hereinafter described, the detecting-mechanism comprises a light source and'y a photo-electric cell, thev-light'beam from' the-former being pre-v The 'outer source and the cell to insure that a very thin beam of light issuing from the source is concentrated on the cell and that the cell is shielded from extraneous light.

The platform 44 carrying the light source and cell can be raised and lowered between the upper position shown in Figs. 1 and 9 and the lower position shown in Fig. 8. When in the upper position, and the clutch arms l2 are in their low,-

est wipe-in position (Fig. 9), light 40 and cell,

42 are disposed on opposite sides of a small portion of the line of depending yarns, indicated at 49 in Fig. 2, and the cell and light are spaced from each other sufciently to receive the yarns between them. To assist proper reception of the yarns between the light and cell, I provide a suction nozzle 80 (Fig. 3) projecting through aperture 82 in platform 44 and communicating by the fitting 84 and flexible tube 86 with a vacuum pump 83. Thereby,vwhen the pumpV 88 is operating, air is drawn down the nozzle 80 to draw the depending yarns ends downwardly between the sheathing 4I surrounding the light and the sheathing 46 surrounding the cell.

' The sequence of operations of my loom, the details of whose construction will later be described, are shown by Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive in which, for clarity, the tuft yarn being wiped in is shown of exaggerated size in comparison with the woven fabric. The weaving cycle and the operation of the loom may in all respects be of conventional character up to the wiping in of the pile tuft yarns by the tube-frames. Also, as is usual, the wipe-in commences by removing a tube frame from the carrier chains by means of the clutch arms I2 and lowering its tubes through the warp. As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, the tube frame l is tipped slightly to insure proper passage of the pile yarn 49 through the warp and the lowering movement continues until the tubes arrive at their lowermost position relative to the breast beam 2, as shown in full lines in Fig. 8. During the wipein operation the platform 44 carrying light 40 and cell 42 begins to rise and is elevated to the position, Fig. 9, in which the depending yarn ends are brought between the light and the cell. The suction of air from tube 86 and nozzle 80 aids in drawing the yarns downwardly between the light and cell.

The upward movement of platform 44 with its light 40 and cell 42 is stopped when the light and cell are brought to the position shown in Fig. 9 and diagrammatically in Fig. 10A. The light is constantly on and with the platform in this position the depending yarns obstruct suicient of the light so as not to energize the cell 42. As soon asA the light has thus been obstructed the circuit to the filament of the cell is completed as will be described.

The tube frame rises until the lower extremities of, the depending yarns rise above the line of thev slots 4Ia, 46a and 41a, thereby permitting the light from source 40 to strike cell 42 and energize it. Energizing of cell 42 effects closing of a circuit effective to apply a brake which abruptly stops the upward movement of tube frame l0.

Thus the lower extremities of the depending yarns 49 are brought to, and stopped at, a level which is a predetermined distance c below the upper surface of the breast beam, as shown in Fig. 10A.

The light source 40 and cell 42 are then lowered, as shown in Fig. 11. The holding weft shot 300 is inserted and beaten up by the reed 8, as shown in Fig. 12. The draw-off, shown in Fig. 12, then occurs.

The depending yarn ends are turned up by comb 32, asV shown in Fig. 13. The yarn tufts 320 thereby formed are of a predetermined height which is the same for the tufts of all tube frames.

Thereafter the cutters 3H) operate, as indicated in Fig. 13, to cut off the yarn depending from the tuft tubes. The cutters need not cut off yarn from the ends of the turned-up tufts because they are all of substantially the same height. If it is desired, however, to cut off the ends of the turned-up tufts, only a negligible amount need be cut off. The loss in tuft yarn, through such trimming, is thus reduced to nothing or to a negligible amount.

The specific construction of the preferred embodiment of loom by which I attain this mode of operation is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive and Fig. 14.

The platform 44 is mounted on the upper extremity of a plate 48 secured by blocks 48a to :a slide 5G which is dovetailed for a sliding fit in a groove 52 formed in a fixed bearing member 54 secured to the frame. Raising and lowering of slide 5t is effected by a rack 58 secured to the rear of the slide 50 and meshing with a pinion sector G formed on the end of a lever 62 pivoted at 64 to the frame. Lever 62 carries a cam follower 86 adapted to be engaged by the rise lb of cam lil (xed to shaft 3B) and to be received within the recess 'Ilia thereof. Slide 56 is urged to its upper position adjacent the breast beam by tension spring 'l2 fixed at its upper end to pin 'I3 projecting from the stationary bearing member 54 and at its lower end to a pin 16 fixed to the slide 5t. The limit of upward movement of slide 5U is regulated by a stop screw 14 threaded through an aperture in a flange 58a at the bottom of slide 5t and adapted to abut the lower surface'54a of the bearing member 54. A lock nut 78 secures the screw in its adjusted position. As the result of this construction, cam follower 66 will not seat in the bottom of recess 76a of cam i when platform 44 is in its upper position of Fig. 1 but will be held away by stop screw 74. The rise 'Ib of cam 'l0 is concentric with the axis of shaft 3U and occupies the entire periphery of the cam except for the recess 16a.. When the follower 66 is raised by the rise 'lib the platform and associated light and cell will move to their lower positions, shown in Fig. 8.

Pivotally attached at i to the rear extremity of the clutch arm i2 shown in Fig. l is a rod |62 connected at its lower end to a brake plate m6 (Figs. l, 4 and 5) slidably mounted in the recess ofthe U-shaped frame member 108 pivoted at H34 to the frame. Also disposed within this recess, and in front of the plate I, is a brake shoe l It cf hardened steel retained in place by the cross members H2 and H4 secured across the sides of the U (Fig. 5A) and abutting the flanges H6 and H8 respectively formed on the ond collar f |84 which -slides'ffr'eely on the;A outsider of part |61). The innerpart Iiacarries av pin' opposite ends of the shoe- |-|-to retain the shoeL in place.

When the clutcharms |2 are raised and low-v mentl of my` invention, thev movement of theA tube frame at' the completion of the wipe-in isv arrested Vby stopping the movement of plate |06.

For that purposeI provide a. brake cam |20 hav-A surface |2|la` eccentric to the center of f shaft |22 on which the cam is-mounted. Shaft |22"is supported by lugs |2| and |23'-projectingA from the U `member |08. Movement of cam |20 from itsn Fig. position counter-clockwise to its Fig. 1 positionpresses'- shoe H0 against brake plate |66'1to stop movement of the plate. Such countereclockwise rotation of cam |20 is effected'by rod |24'secured to the cam and urged upwardly by spring |26 (Fig. 1) connected at one end to the lever |24 andat itsy other end to a portion'l28'of thefframe.

To effectl release of ybrake cam |20l by clockwise rotation, lever |24 isy connected by rod |30 to a lever |32v pivoted at 24 to the frame and carrying a cam follower |34 bearing against cam |36v mounted on shaft 30 vand having a rise |360.. When'risev |36arotates lever- |32 counter-clockwise lever |24'is'rotated clockwise against the action ofY spring |26l to release the brake. To hold the brake in released position, lever |24 carriesA rigidly secured to it a latch element |40 adapted to engage a'complementary latch member |42v rigidly fixed to an arm |48 pivoted at |44I to" aV bracket |46 projecting from the frame. The arm |48 ispivotally connected at |58 to a rod |604 attached to thecore |62 of a solenoid |64 mounted on U member |88. Rotation of lever |48 vto dispose latch |42 in its Alatching position of'Fig. 5'is effected by `a tension spring |66 (Figs. 5 and 5A) connected at one end to the flange |68 of aA bracket |10 depending from the lever |48Y and at its other end toa lug |12 formed on the bracket |46. Suchy clockwise rotation of lever |48 is limited by a stop screwy |16 threaded through lug |12 and abutting the upper edge of lever |46' when the parts are disposed as indicated in Figs. 5 and 5A.

By this construction, the brake cam |20 is released by downward movement of rod |30 through the action of rise I36a of cam |36 and is locked in released position by the engagement of latch membersv|40 and |42. When solenoid |64- is thereafterV energized, attracting its core |62, lever |48` rotates counter-clockwise to release the latch for immediate application of brake |20 through the'action of spring |26.

As stated, application of brake cam |20 arrests sliding movement of brake plate |06 to stop clutch arms |2-in predetermined position at the completion ofthe wipe-in. Thel movement of clutch arm I2; at the moment the'brake is applied to stop the Wipein motion, is in an upward direction immediately followingv the loweringV ofA tube frame I0 through the warp. Such upward' movement results from a downward movement of rod I6.` effected byY cam 28.A Since carn-28lmayinduce -a further downward movement o-f the lower part |6a of rod I6 while its upperpart |61) is held'against movement, I provide a lostmotion between these parts, as shown in detail in Fig. '1: Partla telescopes Within partlbi. Encircling thepart |6b is a compression springl |80v interposed between a collar |82 formed-on-thelowerend of part lbianda- Sec- |86 extending outwardly of part |6bi through opposite elongated`slotsone of which is shown at |88fin Fig. '1)I formed .in the side wall of part |611. Sliding collar |84fabuts pin |86. Thereby, part lawill movedownwardly-within part |66,

compressing spring |80, in the event that part` |611 is held stationaryI during such movement. In Fig. 14, I have shown the. electric circuits employed in the preferred embodimentof my in-` vention. At 208 and 262'v are indicated leads fromfa power sourcenot shown. The lead 200 is connected to one terminal 204 and the leadl 202 to another terminal 206 of an amplifier and relay designated generallyl at 2081 of a type common in photo-electric cell circuits; terminal 2.18 of the amplifier and' relay is connected a wire 212- leading to the-plate 2|4 of the photo-electric'cell 42. The filament 2|5 of the lcell is connected by wire 2|6ll to one terminal 2|8-of a switch 220 whose other terminal 222 is connected by wire 224 to a terminal 226 of am-I plier and relay 208-; The switch2v28 has an armature 280T-c1osed'lby means of the cam fol-- lower 232 when the rise 234a of cam 234` engages the follower. As shown in Fig. 1 the cam 234 is mounted on shaft 30 to rotate therewith.

Attached to the further terminals 24U-and 242 of amplifier and relay 208` are wires 244 and 246 which are connected respectively to the opposite ends of the aforesaidy solenoid |64;

Also connected tothe power mains 200 and 202 arefwires 250 andf252respectively. The wire 250V leads to one element 254 and the wire 252 leadsl to the other element 256 of the aforesaid light 40.

The purpose of the electric circuits diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 14 is to energize sole noid |64.w.hen light from the source 40-falls on the photo-electric cell 42.1 and the cell has been rendered operative by the closing ofswitch 220 through the action of cam 234. Many well-known,4

types of light sources and photo-electric cells are available to functionin this manner and, as the particular type chosen forms vno part of mypresent invention, further description of the construction of these parts is believed unnecessary. In practice I have found the device to be more sensitive when a fluorescent type of light source is used.

Switch 220 remains open during the entire loom cycle until platform` 441s in its Fig, 9 position and the light beam isblocked from the cell by the yarn. The switch then closes. As described, the cell is then energized by the light beam striking it when the yarn is lifted above the beam, and brake actuating solenoidl 64 is immediately ener.-

`gized and the brake applied. As platform 44 is at 28a, to the usual low 28bwhere the tube frame is at its lowest position (Fig. 9). Thereafter it risesA at 28o for lifting the tube frameifrom its Fig. 9 position asshown iny Fig. 10. After this rise there is a-dwell28d to lhold the/tube frame. forthe beat-up (Fig. 11) followed by-a further risef28c for the draw-off (Fig. 12). In my cam the rise 28o immediately following the Ywipe-in 1isV To a third! preferably both higher and more gradual than thecorresponding rise in the usual lift cam.V It is higher to insure that the tube frame is still lifting when the photo-electric cell 42 becomes effective, regardless of the length of yarn protruding from the tube frame. It is more gradual so that the action of the cell is effective to stop the lifting before the yarn ends have passed appreciably above the distance c. 1

The height of pile tufts, although constant as above stated, is at the same time adjustable in my loom by regulating the setting of the stop screw 14, determining the distance between the upper position of the platform 44 and the upper surface of the breast beam. To accommodate such adjustment, the aforesaid rise 28e on the lift cam must be sufficiently high to insure that the tube frame is moving upwardly when the light strikes the cell for all heights of pile tuft contemplated.

Although the use of a light source and photoelectric cell or similar detecting mechanism is desirable, as the yarn is not contacted thereby, detecting means which lightly contact the yarn may be used. The mechanism for stopping the lifting movement may, of course, be varied considerably and my invention is not to be limited to any of the details described herein except as required by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an Axminster loom having a breast beam and wipe-in mechanism including means to lift a tube frame after its row of yarn ends has been wiped in, the combination of detecting means for detecting when the lower extremities of a row of lifting yarn ends have reached a predetermined level below the upper surface of the breast beam, brake means operative to stop the lifting of said tube frame and means connected to said brake means and responsive to said detecting means to actuate the brake means land to stop the lifting of said tube frame when the extremities of said yarn ends have reached said level.

2. In an Axminster loom having a breast beam and wipe-in mechanism including means to lift a tube frame after its row of yarn ends has been wiped in, the combination of detecting means for detecting when the lower extremities of a row of lifting yarn ends have reached a predetermined level below the upper surface of the breast beam, brake means to stop the lifting of said tube frame, electrically operated mechanism for electing the application of said brake means, an electric circuit connected to said electrically operated means to operate the same, said circuit being closed by said detecting means to apply said brake means and to stop the lifting of said tube frame when the extremities of said yarn ends have reached said level.

3. In an Axminster loom having a breast beam and wipe-in mechanism including means to lift a tube frame after its row of yarn ends has been wiped in, the combination of brake means operative to stop the lifting of said tube frame, electrically operated mechanism for effecting the application of said brake means, an electric circuit connected to said electrically operating means to operate the same, a photo-electric cell which, when energized, completes said circuit, a light source for energizing said cell, the light source and cell being so llocated that the beam of light which energizes said cell is at a predetermined level below the upper surface of the breast beam and said beam is obstructed by the yarn ends while they are approaching said predetermined level during said lifting movement and becomes unobstructed to energize the cell and to stop said lifting movement when the extremities of said yarn ends have reached said level.

4. In an Axminster loom having a breast beam and wipe-in mechanism including means to lift a tube frame after its row of yarn ends has been wiped in, a brake for stopping said lifting movement, means for applying said'brake, a pair of elements, aligned with each other along a predetermined path, operating, when said path is unobstructed by yarn ends, to actuate said brakeapplying means, a platform on which said elements are mounted and means for moving the platform to dispose said path in position to be obstructed by the yarn ends during said lifting movement and at such predetermined level below the breast beam that the yarn ends are lifted out of said path and said lifting movement is stopped when the extremities of the yarn ends have reached said level.

5. In an Axminster loom having a breast beam and wipe-in mechanism including means to lift a tube frame after its row of yarn ends has been wiped in, a brake for stopping said lifting movement, means for applying said brake, a pair of elements, aligned with each other along a predetermined path, operating, when said path is unobstructed by yarn ends, to actuate said brake-applying means, a platform on which said elements are mounted, means for moving the platform to dispose said path in position to be obstructed by the yarn ends during said lifting movement and at such predetermined level below the breast beam that the yarn ends are lifted out of said path and said lifting movement is stopped when the extremities of the yarn ends have reached said level, and an adjustment for regulating the distance of said path below the breast beam to vary the distance of the extremities of the yarn ends below the breast beam when they are so stopped.

6. In an Axminster loom having a breast beam and wipe-in mechanism including means to lift a tube frame after its row of yarn ends has been wiped in, a brake for stopping said lifting movement, means for applying said brake, a pair of elements, aligned with each other along a predetermined path, operating, when said path is unobstructed by yarn ends, to actuate said brake-applying means, a platform on which' said elements are mounted, means for moving the platform to dispose said path in position to be obstructed by the yarn ends during said lifting movement and at such predetermined level below the breast beam that the yarn ends are lifted out of said path and said lifting movement is stopped when the extremities of the yarn ends have reached said level, and suction means for drawing the yarn ends downwardly between said elements as the platform is moved to dispose said path at said level.

7. In an Axminster loom having a breast beam, the combination of detecting means for detecting when the lower extremities of a row of lifting yarn ends have reached a predetermined level below the upper surface of the breast beam, said means comprising a lamp and a photoelectric cell so related that the beam of light from the lamp may strike said cell and thereby energize it, a support carrying said lamp and cell, means to raise said support to such position that said beam of light is at a predetermined level below the upper surface of the breast beam and said lamp and said cell are on opposite sides of the yarn ends depending'from a row of tube frames after they have been wiped in, wipe-in mechanism including means to wipe in said yarn ends and to raise the tube frame to a position in which the extremities of said yarn ends are removed from the path of said beam of light whereby said beam of light may energize said cell, an electric circuit through which a current of electricity ows when said cell is energized, brake means operative to stop said lifting movement and electrically operatg ing brake-applying means in said circuit actuated when said cell is energized to stop the lifting of said tube frame with the extremities of the yarn ends at said predetermined level, and a comb to turn up said yarn ends after their lifting movement has stopped.

8. In an Axminster loom adapted to stop the lifting of the tube frame when the lower extremities of its yarn ends reach a predetermined level below the breast beam after the wipe-in, the combination of ya breast beam, wipe-in mechanism including a cam adapted t lift the extremities of the yarn ends higher than said level, detecting means for detecting when the lower extremities of the yarn ends have reached said level, brake means for stopping said lifting movement and means responsive to saidv detecting means and connected to said brake means to stop the lifting of said tube frame when the extremities of its yarn ends have reached said level.

9. In` an Axminster loom adapted to stop the lifting ofthe tube frame when the lower extremities of its yarn ends reach a predetermined level below the breast beam after the wipe-in, the combination of a breast beam, wipein mechanism including a cam adapted to lift the extremities of the yarn ends higher than said level, detecting means for detecting when the lower extremities of the yarn ends have reached said level, brake means for stopping said lifting movement, means responsive to said detecting means and connected to said brake means to stop the lifting of the tube frame when the extremities of its yarn ends have reached said level, and a lost motion connection between said cam and the tube frame to compensate for the eifort of the cam to lift the extremities of the yarn ends higher than said level.

JAMES N. DOW. 

